By Ryan Mullis
Option #1: Go to the Hunter Library and rent a DVD or Blu-ray:
As WCU students, we all have access to rent whatever is available at the Hunter Library with our cat cards and on the list of things to rent are DVDs and Blu-rays. The Hunter Library doesn’t just have access to known titles and mainstream features, but they also include plenty of niche, obscure, and highbrow cinema that you may already know or has been on your bucket list for a while. However, like everything at the library, there is a time limit for how long you can rent something and for every DVD you rent at the library, you must return it in a week. Also must have your own way of screening these films in your dorms or apartment, whether that be with a DVD player or a gaming console.
Option #2: Free Streaming Services (With one condition):
Believe it or not, there are free streaming services out there, but it does come with a caveat. Provided with library cards, there are streaming services that will give you access to a vast library of films completely free. These aren’t bargain bin films either as many of the films on these streaming services are award winning, critically acclaimed films that are meant to expand the cinematic diet.
With a library card, you can access streaming services like:
● Kapony
● Hoopla
Option #3: Free Streaming Services with Ads:
Unlike option 2 where you need a library card to access the catalogs, these streaming services are free from the get go. However, these services do require you to watch multiple ads throughout various parts of the films. As for the catalogs themselves, while vast they gravitate to mainstream feature films, but if you look hard enough, you can find some diamonds in the rough.
Notable Free Streaming Services with Ads:
● Tubi
● Freevee
● Roku Channel
Option #4: Streaming Services with paid subscriptions:
This option is probably that most of us students have access to either from our own paid subscriptions or from a second-hand. With that being said, there are some people who still don’t own a monthly subscription for any streaming service, so here is a bit of information on the current landscape for these services. It used to be that you would pay a monthly subscription for the whole catalog and that would be it but in recent years, some services like peacock will restrict content like tv shows and films if you aren’t paying for a premium deal. Many other services have also shifted to providing a less expensive ad based option that cost about $9 a month as opposed to the standard $19 a month plan. Regardless, if you have access to any of the options listed below, then go figure out what kind of movies they provide.
Notable Streaming Services with paid subscriptions:
● Netflix
● Amazon Prime
● Max
● Hulu
● AppleTV
● Paramount+
Option #5: Renting a film online or in person:
Believe it or not but there are films that aren’t a click again with a streaming service. For insteads, did you know that as of now making this post, GoodFellas (1990) isn’t available for free on any streaming service. It is, however, available to rent on services like Amazon Prime, so if you want to watch one of greatest gangster films ever, it has to be done this way. The average price to rent a film is as little as $3 for most films, but newer releases are usually around $19. Every film you rent only has a 48 hour renting period so it is best to watch the film immediately.
Option #6: Buy Physical Media
The last option I want to talk about is one of high importance. In the streaming era, regardless of the vast catalogs we can access, we still don’t own the media we consume. One way to mitigate this problem is by going to an old practice like buying physical media. The average price to buy a film is as little as $5 for a fiction copy. However, if you want something more high quality like a blu-ray, the average cost is between $15 to $20. So if you really love film and don’t mind spending more money, consider buying some of your favorite media physically.
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